Solheim Cup: Europe retain trophy with 14-14 tie with US in Spain

Spain's Carlota Ciganda sensationally holed the putt that saw Europe retain the Solheim Cup as they tied 14-14 with the United States in her homeland.

She knocked in a two-footer on the 17th to beat Nelly Korda 2&1 in a nerve-shredding finale at Finca Cortesin.

Ciganda won all four matches she played in and was immediately hugged by her emotional captain Suzann Pettersen.

"I think it was meant to be. It came down to Carlota, in Spain, in her own hands," said Pettersen.

"I walked with her down 16 and said, 'Is this how you wanted it? Because it's all in your hands in now.' And she was like, 'I'm up for it'."

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Ciganda added: "I'm so happy just to do this for Suzann, for Spain. I'm just so proud. I'm so happy to do this for everyone here of the family, the Spanish crowd, this is just amazing.

"When I saw Suzann on 16, she told me a couple of things, and I was like, 'I'm just going to do this for her, because I love her and she deserves this'."

US skipper Stacy Lewis said it was "a cool finish" and "what a moment for Carlota and women's golf".

She added: "My team played their hearts out. I'm so proud of the way they fought.

"I told them we didn't lose. It was a tie and there was so much to build off this week."

The teams were locked together at 8-8 heading into Sunday's 12 singles matches with defending champions Europe needing to get to 14 to keep the cup.

The US required 14½ points to regain the trophy they last won in 2017 and for large parts of Sunday looked like they were going to achieve their aim.

But a quite thrilling final hour saw Europe fight back, as they have been doing since losing the opening session 4-0 on Friday, to secure the first tied Solheim Cup in its 18th edition.

Caroline Hedwall produced the most stunning turnaround, winning five of the last six holes to claim her match against Ally Ewing from three down after 12. The Swede, one of Pettersen's wildcard picks, repaid her captain in full, holing big putts on 16 and 17, feeding off the energy of the fans, as she secured a point in a match that looked lost.

"I would like to give extra credit to Caroline Hedwall," said Pettersen. "I feel like she had the crucial point and teed it nicely up for Carlota to bring it home."

That point dragged Europe to 13-12 behind but moments later, both Ciganda and Maja Stark missed putts that shifted the momentum back to the Americans.

Ciganda's looked the most costly. She had led by three holes after eight, but world number three Korda picked away at that lead and was all square after 15. Stark, meanwhile, was left one up with two to play against US Open champion Allisen Corpuz.

Korda further ratcheted up the pressure, hitting her second into the par-four 16th to six feet. But Ciganda responded, firing her ball in to two feet. Korda then nervously stabbed her birdie putt wide, while the Spaniard tapped in hers to grasp back the momentum.

Meanwhile, Corpuz generously conceded a two-foot putt on the 17th that gave Stark a 13th European point and set the scene for Ciganda.

And the Spaniard delivered. She almost holed her tee shot to the delight of the thousands that had surrounded the par-three 17th. A stunned Korda leaked her effort left and could only chip five feet beyond the hole. The American holed her putt, leaving Ciganda with a putt to win that crucial 14th point.

She was swamped by her team-mates, the green being trampled by dozens of feet, perhaps forgetting that Emily Pedersen and Lexi Thompson were waiting to play, with their match still in the balance.

Thompson, who came into the week under huge scrutiny given her poor form over the year, eventually won 2&1 to end with three points from four matches and the second-best record of the US side behind Megan Khang who won half a point more.

Khang led a fast US start as they won the first hole in each of the top three matches.

The European team celebrated lifting the Solheim Cup for a third consecutive time

But veteran Swede Anna Nordqvist and Scotland's Gemma Dryburgh responded by both going three up after six holes in their matches to put some blue on the scoreboard.

The foundations were being laid though by Leona Maguire, who came through a titanic tussle on the front nine with 20-year-old Rose Zhang before accelerating clear. Zhang won three of the first seven holes, but Maguire won the other four to go one clear.

She then claimed four holes either side of a Zhang triumph as she wrapped up a 4&3 victory that put Europe 9-8 ahead - the first time they had led in the match.

"Suzann gave me a job to do. We knew it was going to be a tough day but important to get blue on the board early," said the Irishwoman.

The US responded quickly with Khang edging out Linn Grant, who had birdied the 16th but missed hole-winning putts on the final two.

And Danielle Kang saw off Charley Hull 4&2, taking control of their match by winning three holes out of four from the sixth to go three up.

Nordqvist held on to win her first point, a 2&1 triumph over Jennifer Kupcho, but the leaderboard was looking good for the US at that time.

World number two Lilia Vu was another big winner, seeing off Swede Madelene Sagstrom 4&3 to secure her first point, while Angel Yin defeated France's Celine Boutier - the only player to not contribute even a half point - 2&1 in an epic match that ebbed and flowed.

But both sides ultimately ended half a point short of emerging with the win.

Europe perhaps came closest with Georgia Hall letting slip a two-hole lead with four to play. Some errant putting, including missing twice from six feet on the par-three 17th, allowed Andrea Lee to claim a half point.

And Dryburgh's three-hole lead had evaporated by the 16th as Cheyenne Knight battled back to finish all square.

Europe Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, whose men take on the US in Rome next week, wrote on social media: "A couple of daggers from Carlota to turn her match around on 16 & 17. What a performance from the European Solheim Cup team and Suzanne Pettersen to retain the Cup. Well done ladies."

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